Ensel & Gretchen

Ensel (15) and Gretchen(16) lost in a forest near Bavaria while on a hiking trip during a visit to Germany. Two days into their disappearance they wake up to find themselves in a dungeon.

Scene: A small dark dungeon cell lit by a torch with walls of thick stones. Smell of moisture and dampness. Two barrels containing food and water. An iron drinking cup on the floor. Their hiking back packs.

Ensel:
Gretchen, Gretchen, wake up!

Gretchen:(slowly coming to her senses)
Ensel? What time is it? My head is spinning (remembering) What happened? Where are we?

Ensel:
I don't know Gretchen, I don't know. Things are getting weird. Something is up. We have to think something quick, this doesn't look good.

Gretchen:
How did we get here?
Oh God! Mom is probably worried to death by now.

Ensel:(exploring the dungeon)
Look there are two barrels here. (opening the lids) They got some weird smelling meat and water.

Gretchen:
Well, at least we won't starve to death. (Taking a bite)

Ensel:
Are you mad! Don't eat that stuff...

Gretchen:
I am starving. We haven't eaten in two days. If whoever put us here wanted us dead they would have done it by now. Use you brain, they are after something else. It tastes good, have some.

Ensel:
Don't be stupid. Remember that story of the boy and girl lost in the forest and the witch feeds them well so they will get fat to later make a good meal for her?

Gretchen:
Shut up. Don't start with your witch stuff again. The last thing I want to think about now is witches. Eat, we will think of something.

They hear a metallic knock on the wall, seeming to come from quite far. Both become all ears...

Noise:
Tock!

Ensel:
What was...

Gretchen:
Ssshhh...

All quiet.

Noise:
Tock! Tock!

Ensel:
Someone is out there!

Gretchen:
Ssshh. Be quiet! Let us hear!

Noise:
Tock! Tock! Tock!

Gretchen:
Yes, there is someone else out there.
(yells) Hellooo! Can you hear me?

Silence. No response.

Ensel:
The walls are too thick. I don't think anyone can hear us.
(picking the iron drinking cup from the floor) here use this...

Gretchen: (takes the cup and knocks the wall with it)
Tock!

Silence.

Gretchen:
Tock! Tock!
Tock!Tock!Tock!

Silence.

Noise:
Tock!Tock!Tock!

Ensel:(excited)
They heard us. Do it again.

Gretchen:
Tock!Tock!Tock!

Noise:
Tock!Tock!Tock!

Gretchen:
Yes they are responding.
Let's try this:

Tock!Tock! (silence) Tock!Tock! (silence) Tock!Tock!

Noise:
Tock!Tock! (silence) Tock!Tock! (silence) Tock!Tock!

Ensel:
Bingo! There is someone out there. may be more kids like us. Stuck to this damn place. This may be our chance to get out of here. We have to figure out a way to communicate with them.

Gretchen:
What Romans?
Oh shoot the Roman numerals!
You think they are using the Roman numerals?

Noise:
Tock!
Tock! Tock!
Tock! Tock! Tock!
Tock! Taar!
Taar!

Ensel:
I,II,III,IV,V. We got some smart kids out there. They figured a way to suppress the letters. May be it won't be hard to spell "Wyoming".

Gretchen:
Slow down! How exactly are they using the Roman numerals for the alphabet.

Ensel:
Don't you get it?
Tock is A and Roman I
Tock Tock is B and Roman II
Tock Tock Tock is C and Roman III
Tock Taar is D and Roman IV
Taar is E and Roman V
etc...

Gretchen:
Do something to tell them we got it!

Ensel:
Tock! , That is one (I)
Tock! Tock!, That is two (II)
Tock! Tock! Tock!, That is three (III)
Tock! Taar! That is four (IV)
Taar! That is five (V)
Taar! Tock! That is six (VI)
Taar! Tock! Tock! That is seven (VII)
Taar! Tock! Tock!Tock! That is eight (VIII)
Tock! Taar! Taar! That is nine (IX)
Taar!Taar! That is ten (X)

Gretchen:
I get it now! I am proud of you Ensel! That was smart!
You made up a ten! Let's see if they will respond?

Final Scene: A terrifying room lit by candles, signs of the devil on the walls, etc...The witch has gathered an unholy host before her giant cauldron in some sort of a ceremony. She is busy preparing a recipe of sorts for whatever demoniac purpose, who knows. She throws the items into the boiling cauldron as she calls their names